Nottingham City Council’s summer activity programme offers an even wider choice of FREE activities this year.

There are ‘things to do, places to go and someone to talk to’ for all young people. From events and day trips, to sports and arts activities, music and more – there’s something for everyone happening in all local areas in Nottingham over the next few weeks.

The good news is that the vast majority of activities are free - perfect for families on a budget who want to get out and about.

Activities being provided across the city include:

• a range of activities for children and young people aged 11 years upwards from local youth centres and adventurous activities, to sports and music. Call Nottingham City Council’s Youth Service on 0115 9158644 for full details.

• various play schemes/days for 5-14 years olds are taking place in local areas. Call 0115 9158643 to locate your nearest activity.

• things taking place in and around schools from circus skills, engineering workshops, arts and crafts, sports and more. Call 0800 458 4114 for more information.

The aim is for all activities to be inclusive, open and accessible – including being suitable for children and young people with learning difficulties and disabilities. For example, on 1 August there is a free Fun Day for children, young people and their families with disabilities at Trent Embankment. For more information about this event call 0115 9155500.

Major city events also include:

• the return of Parklife events (22 July – 28 August) means an amazing range of free activities and ideas about how to stay fit and healthy in your local park.

• Nottingham City Councils’ first ever two-week Children’s Festival (1 – 17 August) for 0-12 year olds was launched  alongside the ever-popular Riverside Festival (1-3 August), which showcased a range of activities from storytelling to street fairs. The Children’s Festival includes a free Play Day at Harvey Hadden Sports Complex on 7 August and a huge free Global Picnic at Wollaton Hall on 17 August.

• The Zone holiday activity programme returns to Nottingham City Leisure Centres with great value activities ranging from tennis and basketball to skateboarding and abseiling.

As well as these highlights there are many more free and affordable events taking place in museums, leisure centres, libraries and parks over the summer – full listings can be found at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/whatson.

Councillor David Mellen, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said: “There is such a wide range of activities available to children, young people and families in Nottingham this year, that there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

“Young people aged 11-17 years can also use their Citycard 360 to get discounts and cheaper NCT bus travel around the city. We are committed to providing a sustained programme of events across the summer period to enable the people of Nottingham to enjoy their city to the full.”

Councillor David Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure and Communities, said: “We’ve planned an extensive programme of activity to entertain children and their families this summer holiday. With so many free or affordably priced events and activities taking place it’s the perfect opportunity to discover the extent of what our excellent leisure and culture service has to offer its residents."

For more information on summer activities visit www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk.